KOO-kur-eee? koo-KUR-eeee? koo-KREEE? KUK-reee?

[Chandra]

To hear the word "khukuri" spoken in Nepali, check out this recent video from News24Nepal. It mentions the word "khukuri" multiple times (sometimes too rapidly to dissect):

[video=youtube;yOD7YBpcNlg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOD7YBpcNlg[/video]

From a bad translation of the video description (from Google), the "Khukuri production of Bhojpur has earned a reputation crisis... lack of skilled manpower..."

A more accurate translation would be 'Bhojpur, famous for its khukuri is facing production crisis.'
Basically the video talks about shortage of raw materials (specifically coal) and manpower.
One guy explains that due to shortage of raw materials and hard labour involved in making khukuri, most young people look for employment abroad or turn to goldsmithing instead as it provides a higher income and although there is a high demand for khukuris, they are struggling to meet them even within their own village (Bhojpur).

 

[Chandra]

3 syllables????
KOO-kur-eee?
koo-KUR-eeee?

KUK-cure-eeee?
kuk-CURE-eeee?

2 syllables??????
koo-KREEE?
KOO-kreee?

KUK-reee?
kuk-REEE?

How do YOU say it?
How do THEY say it?
How SHOULD I say it so as not to appear more of a buffoon than is already evident? Cute-cure-reeeeeeee!

The correct name is 'Khukuri', pronounced "Khu-Ku-Ri"; which is used throughout Nepal regardless of cultural or regional differences.

 

[Steve Tall]

A more accurate translation would be...

Thanks!

The correct name is 'Khukuri', pronounced "Khu-Ku-Ri"...

... and pronouncing the "-Ri" part seems to have a slightly rolled "R" sound in the video, somewhere between R and L sounds (to my ear), which my English mother-tongue can't do very well.

 

[timcsaw]

I wonder if the "R" in "Ree" is being pronounced "Lee" or "Dee" due to regional speech habits... Sort of like we New Englanders who "Paak the Caaa" or ride a "hosss"?